Kidscreen Summit Is Temporarily Banning Russian Nationals From Its Conference

Kidscreen Summit, an important children’s entertainment conference on the yearly animation calendar, is temporarily banning Russian nationals from its conference.

The decision was was announced by the summit’s Toronto-based parent company Brunico Communications Ltd. The suspension encompasses not only Brunico’s live events, but also its publications Kidscreen, Realscreen, Playback, and Strategy.

The company says that it is “immediately suspending business relations with Russian-based companies, including advertising, sponsorship and attendance at our conferences and events, until its state-led campaign of aggression against Ukraine is halted.”

Here is Brunico’s statement about why they are cutting ties with Russia:

While we understand that Russian companies operating within the media and entertainment communities we serve might not be supportive of this military campaign, we firmly believe that the collective sanctions imposed by various governments, including our leadership in Canada, can make a meaningful difference in helping to bring this war to a conclusion.

In taking this action, we are standing with the people of Ukraine, our staff who have family ties to Ukraine, and the rest of our team and clients who share our values-based perspective on this untenable situation.

The Kidscreen Summit website currently lists over 1,600 delegates who are paying US$1,800 apiece to attend the Miami conference in July. Only seven of the registered attendees are from Russia.

Photo via Kidscreen website